Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Dr. Charles Caldwell Ryrie’s Bible Collection to be Auctioned

NEW YORK, 6 October 2016—Sotheby’s
is honored to announce the sale of one of the greatest private
collections of printed and manuscript Bibles formed since the 19th
century, The Bible Collection of Dr. Charles Caldwell Ryrie, which will
be held in New York on 5 December 2016. Dr. Ryrie (1925–2016) was best
known for his eponymous Study Bible, which contains 10,000 concise and
cogent explanatory notes and has sold more than 2,600,000 copies. But
while the Study Bible was directed towards the general reader, Dr. Ryrie
was a titan among theological and Biblical scholars, and the author of
numerous academic books and articles. The leading proponent of
dispensationalism of our times, Dr. Ryrie influenced generations of
students, teaching at Calvary Bible College, Westmont College, Dallas
Theological Seminary and Philadelphia College of Bible (now Cairn University).

The New York sale on 5 December will include some 200 lots of
manuscript and printed Bibles, ranging from the tenth-century “Benton”
Gospels in Greek (estimate $50/$80,000) to a beautifully illuminated
thirteenth-century Italian manuscript Bible in Latin (estimate
$150/250,000) to two leaves surviving from the Gutenberg Bible, printed
in Mainz about 1454 (estimate $50/70,000 each). But the core of the
Ryrie Collection is the remarkable run of early English translations of
the Bible, including multiple very rare early editions of the versions
prepared by Myles Coverdale and William Tyndale, the latter of whom was
martyred. Most remarkably, the Ryrie Collection includes a manuscript of
John Wycliffe’s New Testament, produced in England about 1430 (estimate
$500/800,000). The Authorized, or King James version is also well
represented, including the tallest copy known of the first edition, from
the celebrated library of Louis Silver (estimate $400/600,000). First
and other early editions in many other vernacular languages are
represented as well, including German, Spanish, Italian, Irish, Welsh,
and the Indian Massachusett language.

Following November exhibitions of selected highlights in London and
Chicago, the New York exhibition of the full Ryrie Collection will open
on 1 December 2016, alongside the seasonal offerings of Fine Books and
Manuscripts.

Selby Kiffer, International Senior Specialist, Books &
Manuscripts remarked: “It is a testament to Charles Ryrie’s personal
modesty that, despite his myriad accomplishments, he was not widely
known as a book collector. The wider world first learned of the
remarkable collecting achievement of Dr. Ryrie through the 1998-99
exhibition, Formatting the Word of God, at the Bridwell Library of
Southern Methodist University. But that exhibition, remarkable as it
was, featured fewer than half of the volumes in Dr. Ryrie’s collection
and none of his extraordinary letters and documents signed by
theological figures such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John and
Charles Wesley. When the full extent of his collection—astutely gathered
over the course of more than five decades—is revealed, it will surely
be acknowledged as a string of bibliographical pearls of great price.”

The family of Charles Ryrie has expressed their hope that his books
and manuscripts will go to other collectors who will treasure them as
much as he did: “While our father’s collecting was largely a private
endeavor, he keenly enjoyed sharing his books and knowledge with a small
group of collectors, libraries, and dealers. We are sure that he would
be pleased to know that his collection will now go to other collectors
just as dedicated and as passionate he was.”

The Bible Collection of Dr. Charles Caldwell Ryrie will offer
collectors, both individual and institutional, the opportunity to
compete for a great variety of Biblical treasures, many of which have
not been available on the market for decades.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS

New Testament in English. Manuscript on vellum, England, ca. 1430, of
the version inspired by and traditionally attributed to John Wycliffe
(ca. 1330-1384).Estimate $500/800,000

The Holy Bible, conteyning the Old Testament, and the New. London:
Robert Barker, 1611. The largest known copy of the first edition of the
King James Bible, “the only literary masterpiece ever to have been
produced by a committee.”Estimate $400/600,000

The Holy Bible. London: Robert Barker, 1631. A detail from the
“Wicked Bible,” which, due to error or mischief, omitted the “not” from
the Seventh Commandment (Exodus 20:14).Estimate $15/20,000